Quick Recs and DNFs #2

August 7, 2016

We don’t review everything that we read. I mean, who has time for that?! We try valiantly to post our thoughts on most of the books we complete (or don’t complete!) but life gets in the way, or our thoughts are too jumbled to organize, or we’re just too impatient to wait to read our next book, or we begin but then…squirrel!! We’re all for going with the flow and following our moods, but there are some notable reads that we feel deserve at least a mention on the blog, for whatever reason. So, each month we’ll put together a post of quick reviews for memorable recommendations and DNFs.

Cristal’s Quick Recs and DNFs

This is the best one of the series. I found it much more engaging and emotional, Titus and Reeve characters I more easily connected with. I also enjoyed the plot more fully – probably because I had more backstory on these characters, so I was more invested in their well-being and didn’t find their emotional arcs as rushed as with the previous two. And more importantly 😉 I thought this one was sexy as hell.

I’ve finally started seeing The Point as something with a heartbeat and this gang of more-bad-than-good characters as real. I’m pretty excited to read the spin-off series to this, because I think it’s going to be good!

I gravitated toward this book because of the synopsis — a female motorcycle racer who must save her family’s business, a forbidden romance, secrets, and betrayals… what’s not to love? Well, I didn’t love this novel. I couldn’t love it because I didn’t buy into the characters or their connection with each other, so I didn’t buy into the story. I’m disappointed because this author wrote one of my favorite couples, and I’ll always hold her to that standard, but Furious Rush didn’t live up to my expectations.

This was my first Christine Feehan read, and unfortunately I don’t think I’ll be reading anything else by her anytime soon. This novel started off entertaining enough, with a premise that truly intrigued me, and characters with intriguing backstories that I expected would result in a gripping plot; but, this ended up being a clichéd and predictable read, that left me wholly disappointed. It was sexy, I’ll admit that, but it lacked any substance, and I think it had the potential to be a great read, which makes the fact that I didn’t enjoy it an even bigger letdown.

That was kind of lame. I just didn’t buy it.
It’s a well-written story (though too long overall, with a rushed ending) that I had a hard time connecting with emotionally. Though it was hot and forbidden, I didn’t experience nearly the level of angst that I thought I would, and that’s mainly because the protagonist just wasn’t that anxious or conflicted about her actions. I could appreciate her selfishness and realism, but her lack of empathy for the two men she juggled made this a shallow read. I didn’t have an issue with the fact that she strayed from her marriage, I had an issue with the fact that she didn’t care that she strayed. She really only cared about herself, and I perceived any kind of self-reflection that she attempted as fake. Although I can toast a drink to that level of narcissism, you aren’t going to tug at my heartstrings for a character that’s that cold, even though there’s some redemption in the end. I honestly don’t know what either of these men saw in her, so this book has the honor of being the first love triangle that didn’t elicit any emotions from me. I don’t recommend, and I probably won’t read this author’s work again.

Melissa’s Quick Recs and DNFs

A wonderful collection of extras that provides depth and heightens the reader’s experience of The Fish Tales series. These shorts and extras were unexpected yet not unwelcome as I absolutely love this series and don’t mind getting caught up in the world of Fish, Daisy, Will and Lucy.

The dedication she has given these characters is apparent, as no matter the length between additions to this series, I have never felt the need to reacquaint myself with them yet always find myself understanding them more. The Ones That Got Away does this remarkably well, seemingly done so without effort. Presented as sort of a writers notebook, I reveled in skipping from one character to the next, choosing who to read when I wanted to instead of having to wait for the story to play out over time. If you’ve read and enjoyed The Man I Love, Give Me Your Answer True, and Here to Stay, this book is a must read addition.

An absolutely hilarious tale of best-friends-little-sister a la friends-to-lovers romance. Sounds like a hot mess but it was so perfect. Both leads were written with consistency and the originality given to their characters gives this mash-up trope a fresh and exciting feeling.

Experiencing this via audio was one I won’t soon forget as Sebastian York brings his a-game and gives the story an additional layer to experience. I mean, you’ve heard his voice right? Hoo-boy.

This book was on my most anticipated list for 2016. I am a fan of m/m romance and fell in love with Lilah Pace’s writing when I read Asking For It.

But…

I had a terrible time becoming and remaining engaged in this story. The scenes were too abrupt and rushed. The third person point of view did not allow me to connect to the characters and storyline. The whole thing just wasn’t very interesting. Sad day.

Tara’s Quick Recs and DNFs

I have been loving this series! I’m so not a fantasy reader but I have been trying this year to read outside my comfort zone and I love Kristen Ashley, so this series was an obvious place to start. I could not be enjoying it more. The first book in the series, Wildest Dreams, is my favorite but they’ve all been very good. If you’re not a fantasy reader like me, take a chance on these. I don’t think you’ll regret it. If you are a fantasy reader, what are you waiting for?!

This book was recommended to me by a friend who typically enjoys the same books that I do and I’d never read Marie Force before so I thought it’d be a great place to start. It wasn’t exactly bad, it was just so very cheesy and moved so quickly that I wasn’t engaged in the story and quickly gave up on it. Maybe there’s a reason it’s free.

I was very much looking forward to this book and it ended up being a huge let down. I gave up on this because I just couldn’t make myself go any further. I’m a fan of Callihan’s other books and I’m familiar with her writing style, so it’s still kind of a mystery to me where this book went off the rails. It was very unrealistic (I know it’s fiction, but I still need some believability in my books), and I was never really invested in either character. It moved very quickly and I’m not a fan of insta-love so it was all a big turn off for me.

✿

So there you have it! Our quick recs and DNFs. Don’t forget to comment below with some of yours! 😘